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Woody Allen
The Beginner’s Guide: Woody Allen, Director

After bugging my colleagues with discussion on Woody Allen films maybe one time too many, it was suggested that I write his Beginner’s Guide. Surprisingly, the thought hadn’t occurred to me, but I’m very excited to present my guide for you here now. I’ve gone a slightly different approach than usual because of the sheer amount of films the man has made in his still-continuing career, so it’s broken up into segments rather than a few films you should watch to get you started.

Hans Zimmer
The Beginner’s Guide: Hans Zimmer, Composer

Composers are an underrated yet invaluable aspect to the world of cinema. They have the ability and duty to evoke various emotions in the audience, causing excitement, nerves, tears and goosebumps, sometimes all at once. It takes great skill to match the images on the screen to a suitable audio, and one man is notoriously known for his breathtaking soundtracks that complement filmmakers’ work and enhance the cinematic experience.

Profile: Robin Williams

If there is any Hollywood star that could be named among the most influential among both adults and children, it would be Robin Williams. As an actor who went from a stand-up comedian in the 1980s to arguably the most beloved star in the film industry, Williams maintained his memorable and popular status among viewers by his diverse performances and his particular choice of films. Sadly, Williams passed away in August 2014 following complications of depression that are still being investigated today.

Profile: Carey Mulligan

As Oscar Wilde said, life imitates art far more than art imitates life, and that’s certainly true when it comes to Carey Mulligan’s recent outspokenness on women’s rights – hot on the heels of her stunning performance in Suffragette (2015). In recent media interviews, she’s talked about the inequality that exists in Hollywood, including the wage gap between male and female actors and the lack of films by female directors. But she’s also gone beyond that, to talk about Hollywood’s lack of interest in telling stories about the lives of women.

Profile: Leonardo DiCaprio

Have you ever thought to yourself – who is my favourite actor? Whose films do I enjoy the most? What is it about him and his performances that make me enjoy his films the most?

Andrea Arnold
The Beginner’s Guide: Andrea Arnold, Director

There aren’t many people who can claim that the woman they watched larking about on children’s morning television when they were a toddler also became of one of their favourite film directors as an adult. But that’s exactly what Andrea Arnold turned out to be, for me. For those of you who have never heard of her I can guarantee that you’ll be impressed.

John Ford
The Beginner’s Guide: John Ford, Director

When asked about who his favourite American directors were, Orson Welles replied: “I prefer the old masters; by which I mean: John Ford, John Ford and John Ford.

The Beginner’s Guide: Hayao Miyazaki, Director

How to summarise Hayao Miyazaki in a few words? Brilliant, magical, ecologist, fantastic, cultural, wise, a true master of his art: animation.

Del Toro
The Beginner’s Guide: Guillermo del Toro, Director

Near the conclusion of Hellboy II, we find the eponymous hero at death’s doorstep. Hellboy is laid at the feet of his personal Angel of Death, a shrouded, veiled monstrosity whose ragged wings are festooned with a series of enormous, amber eyes. Elizabeth Sherman, Hellboy’s partner, cradles his unconscious body in a pose reminiscent of the Pietà, an aesthetic emphasized by the magical spearpoint thrust into Hellboy’s side.

Taron Egerton
Profile: Taron Egerton

Earlier this year, while getting all excited for the release of Kingsman, I decided to watch Colin Firth and his still unheard of co-star being interviewed on The Jonathan Ross Show. I think it only took five minutes for me to fall for Taron Egerton. His familiar soft Welsh accent, his charisma, his wit, but also his modesty really touched a chord with me.

Roger Livesey
Profile: Roger Livesey – Heart & Soul of Powell & Pressburger

How is it that so many people remain unaware of the mighty Roger Livesey? This peerless actor was the centrepiece of many of the finest films in British history. Born in Barry, South Wales in 1906, Livesey is rarely invited into the superclub of immortal Welsh greats like Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Roberts and Hugh Griffiths.

Spike Jonze
The Beginner’s Guide: Spike Jonze, Director

Producer, Director, Writer, Actor. These are just some of the labels one could attribute to Spike Jonze. Absurd, surreal, unique and diverse are just some of the few one could attach to his films.

David Lynch
The Beginner’s Guide: David Lynch, Director

David Lynch has one of the most polarizing bodies of work in Hollywood (though he is objectively one of the nicest and most genuine people there). His films divide audiences like they were born of a marriage between Moses and Solomon. Filled with peculiar idiosyncrasies and defiantly flaunting conventions of both genre and narrative, Lynch’s films have been stubborn in their consistency for most of his career.

Alfred Hitchcock
The Beginner’s Guide: Alfred Hitchc*ck, Director

British director Alfred Hitchc*ck’s reputation as the “Master of Suspense” is still familiar to moviegoers around the world 25 years after his death. Hitchc*ck’s jowly visage and drawling accent are pop culture fixtures, and his movies are endlessly imitated and even spun-off into popular TV series. However, Hitchc*ck was more than just the man who gave the world Norman Bates and that infamous shower scene in Psycho (1960).

Wes Craven
The Beginner’s Guide: Wes Craven, Director

When you think of horror movies, one name should spring to mind: Wes Craven. He reinvented the teen horror genre and made it his own, alongside creating the most feared character in the horror genre: